CISI IntegrityMatters: Pass Mark, Format and What to Expect
IntegrityMatters is the compulsory ethics test you must pass before the Capital Markets Programme. The pass mark is 19 out of 24. Here is how it works and how to approach it.
If you are booking a CISI Capital Markets Programme exam, IntegrityMatters is the step that catches people out. It is a compulsory online ethics test you must clear before you can sit the Programme papers, and the pass mark is 19 out of 24. The good news is that it is not a memory test, it is short, and most candidates pass without drama. Here is exactly how it works and how to approach it.
What is IntegrityMatters?
IntegrityMatters is an online ethics and integrity test built by the CISI and taken through your MyCISI portal. It is not a traditional exam with a syllabus to revise. Instead it presents realistic workplace dilemmas and asks you to choose the most professional course of action. It comes as a short workshop followed by the test itself, and the two together usually take between 45 minutes and an hour.
The pass mark and format
You need 19 out of 24 to pass, which is just under 80%. The test is built from six case studies, each worth up to four marks. The clever part is that it is adaptive: in each scenario you choose one course of action from three, and the option you pick decides the next question you are shown. Two people can therefore take slightly different paths through the same case. Because it is entirely online there is no printed result; you get a certificate on screen showing your outcome, which you can save or print.
Who has to take it?
Two groups need IntegrityMatters. First, anyone sitting the Capital Markets Programme in the UK and several other regions must pass it before the technical papers, Securities or Derivatives. Second, new CISI members joining as ACSI, MCSI or Affiliate must pass it either before joining or within their first three months. If either applies to you, make it the first thing you do, not the last.
Is it hard, and how should you approach it?
It is not hard in the way a technical paper is hard, because there is nothing to memorise. What it tests is judgement: whether you can spot the professional, compliant response when a scenario is designed to tempt you towards a shortcut. Read each dilemma carefully, resist the answer that is fastest or most commercially convenient, and choose the option a regulator would want to see. Do not overthink it and do not try to game the branching. The large majority of candidates pass; the ones who slip usually rushed, or talked themselves out of the obvious right answer.
Where this fits with your CISI prep
IntegrityMatters clears the ethics gate. The Capital Markets Programme exams themselves are the technical challenge, and that is what Passkey is built for. Once IntegrityMatters is done, start on the papers: our Capital Markets Programme guide explains the two exams you actually sit, and you can try free UK Financial Regulation practice questions or take the free diagnostic to see where you stand. Passkey is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for CISI IntegrityMatters?
You need 19 out of 24 to pass IntegrityMatters, which is just under 80%. It is built from six case studies worth up to four marks each.
Is IntegrityMatters an exam?
Not in the usual sense. It is an online ethics test taken through the MyCISI portal, made up of a short workshop and a set of workplace scenarios. There is no syllabus to memorise; it tests your judgement rather than technical knowledge.
Which CISI exams require IntegrityMatters?
You must pass IntegrityMatters before sitting the Capital Markets Programme technical papers, Securities or Derivatives, in the UK and several other regions. New CISI members also have to pass it within their first three months.
How long does IntegrityMatters take?
The workshop and test together usually take between 45 minutes and an hour, so most people complete it in one sitting.
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